The Darkness Within
by MollyP4321
Summary: Ginny is drowning. Drowning in a war between good and evil. As the lines between the two become increasingly blurred will she be able to choose what is best for her? Or will she continue to lose control over the downward spiral of her life? A confusing love story rated M for very dark, very adult themes. The fantastic JKR owns everything.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hey guys, this is written to help my obsession with dark and powerful Slytherins. I hope you guys enjoy it and please let me know what you think!

* * *

The water surrounds me, suffocates me, becomes part of me. My clothes become heavier, it feels like my insides are expanding, my arms feel like iron weights have been tied to them.

Is this what it feels like to die?

I smile to myself as the final bubbles of air trickle from the corner of my mouth, I felt like I was floating, like it was all a dream..

But it wasn't. This was cold, hard reality. I was dying. And the funny thing was? I didn't even seem to care. The ice coldness of the lake envelops me and attacks me like an army of tiny Spartans, arrows at the ready; was the lake really this deep? One moment I was only in it up to my ankles, the next moment I can't even see the bottom.

And then everything goes black.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Weasley?" A biter voice hisses as my senses awaken. Why am I here, how am I not dead?

"mhmmmn." I mumble, I open my eyes a crack but even the moonlight is too strong so I quickly close them again.

"Well, Weasley, what have you got to say for yourself?" The voice is too low, too harsh, I cover my ears and shake my head.

"No no no no no." I mumble over and over, as if the monosyllabic beat of the word would keep me from the madness with in.

"I just plucked your half dead body out of a lake, you cannot expect me to leave you here without an explanation. What were you thinking, what were you doing?"

"Swimming." I replied simply, no point in lying to the kind man.

"Well you weren't doing a very good job of it." He sneered, I recognised the voice, but I don't know where from.

"That's because I can't swim."

"Then why were you trying?" The person asked, I tried again to open my eyes but it took too much strength. He didn't sound as angry any more, his voice had an almost soft edge to it.

"Because Harry likes girls who can swim, so I wanted to practise. I didn't know it would go wrong." I was being honest, I had always feared water; this was my way of overcoming the fear, instead I'd just increased it.

"You silly little girl." The voice rumbled dangerously. The softness gone. He paused after every word to make his message clearer. I don't know why I was so upset that he didn't approve of my actions, it's not as if I knew him.

This time I did open my eyes.

It was too dark to tell who it was.

"Almost killing yourself for that stupid Potter boy, how silly, how stupid, how bloody ridiculous..." He carried on with his incessant mutterings and made to walk away, I quickly stood up to try and follow but my head just fogged over and black crystals appeared around the corners of my vision. The world started spinning, everything was topsy turvy and I felt like I wanted to throw up. But then a hand grabbed my shoulder and sat me back on the floor. I could just about see his eyes and boy were they beautiful.

"Are you okay?" He asked, a flash of genuine concern crossed his features and flicked through his eyes before he quickly covered it up again with his hard exterior.

"F-fine thanks." I mumbled and brought my hand to my forehead. I was shaking, what was wrong with me? He offered me his hand, I took it and he slowly pulled me to my feet, still keeping hold of me when I stood to steady myself and keep me from falling back over. His hands were soft and efficient, so juxtaposed to the harsh stature he held and the disgusted twist of his mouth.

"Anyway Weasley-" He began.

"How do you know who I am?" I mumbled as I placed a hand over my face, it helped stop the spinning.

"Oh please, your ginger hair and gangly stature makes you stand out against all other people of your blood." He remarked snidely. I hated it when people were rude about my family, I couldn't help thinking that if we did have dirty blood we wouldn't get half as much grief.

"Hey! I am proud to be a Weasley and-" I started to tell him, but it was too much, I couldn't.

However my shouting seemed to have caused a bit of a rustle from a little way off. Fear flitted across the boy's face, his mouth opened and his body momentarily froze. Then he let go of my shoulder, I felt wavy on my feet. But then his hand was back on me, but now it was over my mouth. I tried to wriggle away but he just came closer, moved behind me and grabbed me around the middle in a couple of swift seconds, it caught me off guard, I tried to scream and kick, my arms flailed around as much as much as his vice like grip would allow. Panic rose in my body, I hated the feeling of restriction. I felt so weak, it reminded me of Tom. Of evil. Of darkness. And now Tom's back, the thought filled me with even more fear. I felt like such a baby but a tear trailed down my cheek and began to hit the boy's hand, the fight in me was gone. His grip loosened a little after that. I think he sensed it too. What ever happened to the fiery Ginny who would have thought tooth and nail against someone like this? I felt like I'd left her in the lake, maybe that part of me really had drowned.

"Just trust me, ginger." He whispered in my ear, his voice was slightly shaky and it scared me more than anything else.

"Well it came from over here." A snake like voice hissed, it was so vile that I felt physically sick. Never before had a voice had such a negative effect on me. It was totally different to the voice currently whispering reassurances in my ear and telling me to keep quiet; his voice was soft and musical but deep and rough around the edges, the quickness that it could flip between angry and calm scared me a little.

"It's gone now, master, you shouldn't worry yourself." A scuffly, fearful voice piped up. It spoke in hurried tones as if it was in a rush to get its words out.

"Quiet!" The other voice roared, "And do not tell me what to do."

"S-sorry master." Master? Who would be referred to as master now a days? Only one name sprang to mine and that was impossible.

"Come on Wormtail, we need to get back. The disposal of the supposed chosen one still needs more thought." I was thankful they were leaving. But wait, what? Wormtail? I recognised the name so much but could not put my finger on how. And chosen one? Only Harry was ever called that.

"Come on, let's go." The person mumbled quietly before letting go of me, grabbing my forearm and pulling me forward. I was unsteady on my feet and my head felt like it was going to implode, I couldn't deal with the fast pace he was pulling me along at. With a sigh he picked me up in a bridal lift and ran across the grounds. Moonlight danced off of the beautiful, deadly lake. The grounds looked majestic and unnatural, moths and more magical creatures danced around in a glorious grey glow. The sky was clear, I noticed that it was actually more midnight blue than black. It's funny the things you notice when you're in a stranger's arms. The castle looked huge and terrifying, not like the home I knew and loved it to be. The Quidditch pitch just looked eerie and abandoned, like some derelict battleground from years ago.

And then my attention moved to the boy. His arms felt muscular and sculpted wrapped around my body, the moonlight danced in the reflection of his eyes as he looking forward, a determined grimace on his face. He looked so serious, so set on the task ahead. And gosh were his eyes beautiful, such a deep, honey brown with a golden rim around the edges of them, they seemed to reflect the view around us like small mirrors. They were framed by such dark eyelashes I felt myself becoming envious, they were beautiful, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. And his hair, his hair was dark and wavy; just long enough to fall into his eyes, which it did quite often, which seemed to annoy him quite a lot, which secretly amused me to no end. It was the only imperfect thing about him, the only thing that didn't seem to go his way. His face was perfect, his nose was structured and had a small bump to it, and he had a strong square jawline and amazing lips. His skin was tanned, I liked that about him. It made his eyes stand out so much more.

"Are you staring at me?" He enquired with an unreadable expression on his face. Oh shoot, I really was.

"No." I lied before turning away and inwardly cringing, by now we were entering the castle but he still didn't put me down. His footsteps echoed as he purposely walked through the hallways. He was pretty confident bearing in mind we had both broken curfew by a longshot. That was the point, what time was it? I know that I'd left my dorm at one o'clock in the morning as it was. And why was he out there at that time as well? And who were those other people? And then the questions resurfaced from earlier, who was master, and Wormtail, and what did they want with my Harry? Well, I wish he was my Harry any way. I would have asked him to put him down, but I quite liked the feeling of being in his arms, it made me feel safe and secure, why I trusted him I do not know.

"This is your stop." He said before placing me on my feet, I stumbled for a few steps before regaining my balance. I didn't even realise we'd gotten to the Gryffindor portrait.

"So it is." I mumbled my reply, I didn't want him to see my disappointment. Before I could even thank him he strolled down the corridor and away from me without a second glance, his abruptness surprised me but then I shouldn't have expected anything less. His leaving seemed to trigger an emptiness with in. It was just such an odd sensation, one I didn't particularly like either.

As I wondered into my dorm and laid down on my bed as quietly as possible, I tried to take in the night's events. It was all a bit of a blur really. And I was simply exhausted.

And then a thought struck me.

I went swimming in the lake, I could feel the dampness in my hair to prove it, yet my clothes didn't feel wet. I looked down at my body only to see I wasn't in my skirt and red Gryffindor jumper any more, I was in something different altogether. A green Slytherin Quidditch jersey, on the front in read _'03, Zabini'_.

So finally my rescuer, my knight in shining armour, had a name.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Any feedback is hugely appreciated. I have six chapters written but I'm going over them, this story has a plan but it may change later on. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Little did I know that my little encounter with Zabini was going to change my life forever. If I had known what I know now I would have never have gone in to that lake that night, I would never have even looked at Harry, hell I never would have gone to Hogwarts in the first place.

**oOoOoO**

The battle was upon us. The battle of Hogwarts. Cries could be heard from every direction but I couldn't even see ten foot in front of me due to all the dust and rubble. I had started off with Luna and Tonks for protection but Luna had left to help Harry and Tonks had gone to see Remus. I had heard her scream a while later but I couldn't think about that right now, I couldn't let that distract me. Staying alive was the only thing on my mind, I think it was the only thing on everyones.

"Avada Kedavra!" I just about managed to dodge the killing curse as the shot of green light passed through where I was standing a split second before, it then ricochet off of the wall and hit a death eater. Rather him than me. This had been my first real battle and my lessons in Dumbledore's army felt like a life time away. I acted as if killing was my second nature firing curses at every bad person I saw not really sure if they were hitting or not.

It was then that we came face to face and wand to wand. Zabini was stood in front of me trying to catch his breath as I did the same. A Ravenclaw I had seen in a few of my classes lay dying at his feet, the poor boy moaned in pain but Zabini only kicked him to shut him up.  
"You're heartless." I say through gritted teeth.

"No I'm not, this is a war if you haven't noticed." He told me and with a swish of his wand he killed the boy at his feet. The poor, defenceless innocent.

I recoiled in fear, "Why did you do that?"

"Sometimes you have to put an animal down when its in pain. Its the kindest thing to do." He sounded too calm and this only scared me more.

"You disgust me, Slytherin." Tears ran down my face, I fiercely wiped them away on the corner of my black cardigan.

"I can do the same to you if you like?" He purred. I froze in fear like a deer caught in headlights.

"Leave the girl alone, Zabini." A cold, cruel voice rang out from behind me. I tensed up in fear as the person then ran their hands all over me and even grasped my breasts.

"Don't touch me." I spat in disgust without even looking to see who it was. I looked at Zabini and for some reason he looked like he felt sorry for me. This only scared me more.

"Oh you wont have a choice soon enough, blood traitor." The boy chuckled darkly as he came to face me, it was non other than Draco Malfoy. He came very close to my face and began to tuck my hair behind my ears with a calculating look, he made me feel like a horse in the auction ring, looking me up and down before he decided if he wanted to buy me or not.

"Long live the chosen one!" I shouted before spitting in his face. I then ran for it as fast as I possibly could, my legs pumping as I jumped over a huge crack in the floor. I didn't want to see Malfoy ever again because I knew that if I did he would surely kill me.

**OoOoOo**

The battle is over and we had lost. I sat on the floor of the living room in a run down cottage in the middle of Ireland somewhere with Harry sat beside me. He was leaning on my shoulder, I had my arm around him rubbing his arm and back in an effort to console him. My cardigan was wet from both his tears and mine. I was trying to be strong for the boy wonder because everyone told me I had to be when in reality I felt as awful as he did. It may have been his best friend but he was my brother for Merlin's sake.

"Why has this happened?" Harry cried. I had never seen him like this, ever. I never knew Ron meant so much to him. Since we had arrived back at the safe house Hermione had locked herself in her bedroom with so many charms that nobody could get in, even when they tried the window. The rest of my family were nowhere to be seen, I presumed they were at a different safe house so they were able to grieve properly. I wasn't given that luxury. Everybody knew I didn't love Harry any more, everyone apart from Harry that was. He was so crucial to winning this awful war that he basically got what ever he wanted in return for fighting. He had an almost God like status within the order. People died for him but he was told it wasn't his fault, people risked everything they had for him but denied doing so to his face, and I had to make love to the golden boy whenever it took his fancy because that way he was more relaxed and easier to control. I never enjoyed it and I wish I hadn't had to lose it to him but that was the way my life had gone. Harry was treated like a King and as his "Queen" I had to do what ever he said. I hadn't loved him since the day I almost died trying to change myself so he'd love me instead of that whore Cho Chang.

And now my brother was dead. My brother who only last week insisted that I flooed back to his house in order to get rid of the spider in his bathroom because he was too scared to. I laughed at the memory which turned into fresh floods of tears.

I guess I shouldn't blame Harry for the horrible death of Ron though, it was Malfoy who had killed him after all. He was making an example of him but torturing him in front of every living member of the order in the courtyard. They stood in stunned silence, Harry and myself included, as Malfoy began to cut off all of his fingers one by one with a wave of his wand. He crucioed him at intervals throughout as well. Ron's blood curdling screams could he heard as he cried out for anyone to help him. Nobody did. Malfoy then knocked out his teeth one by one and began to break all of his bones. He begged and pleaded for the release of death but Malfoy did not give it to him until Zabini stood forward and whispered something in his ear. All of the death eaters laughed as Ron, a third of the golden trio, took his final breath. They did it to get to Harry and they certainly did.

It was my fault that he did it really though, maybe if I hadn't spat in the bastards face he would have taken a bit more pity on my brother. I did see him give me a few glances as he tortured poor Ron, his only crime becoming friends with Harry before he even knew who he was.

"Gin, can we go to bed." Harry asked as he looked at me with his tear stricken face.

"Okay then, lets go." I said as I kissed him on the cheek and helped him stand up. I was cold and achy from sitting on the flagstone floor for so long.

That night as he made 'love' to me I had to be careful not to vomit. I acted my part perfectly with my moans in all the right places. After a while he began to thrust erratically into me meaning he was very close to finishing so with a final scream I called out his name, two minutes later he fell on top of me and fell asleep almost instantly. I, however, couldn't sleep. I slowly peeled his sweaty arm off of me and silently clambered out of the bed we had to share. I had learnt to be quiet very quickly as if I woke Harry he was sure to want to go again. I hated him, I hated sex with him even more.

**OoOoOo**

The chilled, night time air hit me like a slap in the face as I stood on the door step of the safe house. It was early October and I could see my breath fog in front of my face. As children Ron and I would run around pretending to be Dragons. It would always end up with me in tears as Ron got a bit too rough and pushed me over into the mud or something. All around me was the beautiful emerald countryside. It was a nice location but I missed my family so much. I pulled my waxed jacket closer around my body and began to walk. I was in my own little world when I heard a pop.

"Going somewhere, Weasley?" That voice sent a shiver down my spine.

"Zabini." I shuddered.

"You know my name." He chuckled.

"Of course I do. How did you find me?" I say.

"Well correct me if I'm wrong but the wards of the house you're staying at ends about there." He says whilst pointing at a little sign post about ten feet away. They littered the moorland to let walkers know where they were in the fog.

"Shoot." I muttered to myself.

"Shoot indeed." Zabini needlessly confirmed, "now I'll give you one minute to get back behind that ward or else I will need to summon the person looking for you."

"Nobody is looking for me, you're just bluffing." I tell him.

"Oh of course I'm bluffing. Its not like any of the death eaters would want the youngest member of the most famous blood traitor families currently alive. And I suppose they wouldn't want Potter's whore either now would they?" He says to me, looking me directly in the eye. I can't keep up the eye contact so look to the floor.

"I'm not Potter's whore." I yell whilst looking at a patch of grass. At that point I can't help it, I burst into tears and try to run back. He hit a nerve and he knew it.

He grabs my arm, "if you're not his whore then why do you have sex with him?" His wavy hair falls into his eyes as it always does. His jaw clenches as he grits his teeth.

"What I do does not concern you." I say darkly as my brow frowns. A slow trail of tears still leak from the corners of my eyes.

He still has hold of my arm.

He tries to wipe a tear away but I jump back, "don't touch me." He still doesn't let go.

"You know you never did thank me for saving your life that night in the lake. Back then you almost killed yourself for him and now you're acting like he's the love of your life." His voice is soft all of a sudden.

"I never thanked you because I would be better off dead." Did I really just say that? Only when it leaves my mouth do I realise it to be the truth. He dropped my arm like I'd suddenly turned into molten lava or something.

"You ungrateful little girl." He says to me darkly as he casts a spell into the air, "now you're really going to wish you were."

Seconds after he did it his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open a little, "Go back though the wards now. I shouldn't have done that." He said as he pushed me backwards a little

"No."

"Ginny, its for your own good." He warned me, "Fuck!" He shouted into the sky before hitting a near by oak tree. He then grabbed my shoulder, "go, go, go, go." He repeated over and over.

"No. And don't ever call me Ginny" I repeated as stubborn as ever.

"Get your hands off of her." An even colder voice tells Zabini. I know this voice well too.

"Shit." He mutters to himself as his face crunches up in what looks like fear and regret.

"I don't want my prize being damaged." Malfoy says as he walks towards the pair of us.

"Of course not Draco, I was only trying to keep her from escaping." Zabini tells Malfoy.

Malfoy then walks up to as he did in the battle and looks me up and down. He nods as he does so. I being to walk backwards until I feel my back hit the old oak tree Zabini had previously punched. I don't say a word as I look into the eyes of my brother's killer but my breath quickens. This is it, I'm going to die.

"Yes, I am very happy with my prize." Malfoy says with a nod, he then comes closer to me and again touches my bright ginger hair, "I'm not sure about the hair colour though. We may have to alter that in the future"

Why would my hair colour matter if he was going to kill me anyway? And future? My future would end in about a minute.

"Don't you dare touch me Malfoy." I warn him as he makes to touch my cheek.

His eyes change, "I'll do whatever I want with you." He says through gritted teeth, malice in his eyes. He grabs my neck as he pushes me right into the tree.

"Why don't you just kill me already." I splutter out with just as much darkness in my voice.

"Kill you? Kill you?" He laughs, "Why on earth do you think I'm going to kill you?" He lets go of me.

This leaves me totally speechless as I rub my sore neck, "I – well..."

He interrupts, "what I'm going to do is so much worse." He then grabs my arm and reels off orders to Zabini who is stood a few meters away from us. I'm sure I could see him mouth _'I'm sorry' _before Malfoy and I apparate away into my new future.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hey guys, thank you so much for the lovely reviews... They mean unbelievable amounts to me. I am actually looking for a beta reader at the moment but finding a beta is so hard! If any of my lovely readers would be able to do it for me I'd be eternally grateful. Or even if you just want to put any ideas or thoughts across about the story just shoot me a message, I'll never be offended or anything. I would also like to say this: Je Suis Charlie. I know it happened more than a month ago but this, as well as the next chapter, was first written two days before it all happened on my way from Lille to Paris. It was an awful time to be in such a beautiful city and something I will never forget.

* * *

After a few seconds we landed on the grounds of what I could only assume to be Malfoy Manor. Whilst at Hogwarts I had sometimes wondered what Draco's house was like but nothing could have prepared me for this. It reminded me of when you go to Paris, everybody says the Eiffel Tower is huge and you know it is, however when you arrive it is still twice as big as you had ever expected. Malfoy Manor rose from the ground spectacularly. Turrets and towers were everywhere with dark mark flags flown at every available pillar. It was undeniably dark and scary but it was also eerily beautiful.

Maybe it was the apparating, maybe it was the worry, or maybe it was the sheer exhaustion, I don't know, but all I know was that one moment I was standing in front of the castle and the next I was waking up alone in a strange room. I slowly sat up to take in my surroundings, the room was the size of the living room and kitchen put together at the burrow which proved my nightmare was true, I really had been kidnapped by Draco Malfoy. The room itself was beautiful with very high walls and ceilings, I noticed that I am lying on a king size bed with silky, olive green sheets which was a far cry from the single bed I was used to at the burrow with my patch work quilt. The burrow, it was so cosy and homely there. I shivered as I looked around the room, the colour scheme was green and silver, I felt like it was mocking the Gryffindor inside of me. The centre piece opposite the bed was a huge fireplace which roared into life with mesmerising flicks of orange and yellow as soon as I wished it to, casting eerie shadows all over the room in the process. I jumped up to try my luck with floo powder, it was a long shot and no matter how hard I searched nothing was there. Next I tried the door but of course I had no luck with that either.

It was then that I noticed that my wand had gone. The wand that hadn't left my side since my trip to Diagon alley all those years ago. I felt naked not having my wand by my side. In a mad and impulsive panic I scrambled around the room in search of where it could be; I overturned desks, emptied drawers not caring when I trampled their content into the tasteful green carpet, I even threw the mattress off of the bed to have a look underneath it. My wand was nowhere to be seen. I gave up in a cry of fury and sat on the mountain of broken bits and pieces in the middle of the room with my head in my hands. This whole experience didn't seem real, it seemed more like I was watching a film or looking through the eyes of somebody else.

Soon enough I managed to cry it all out and recovered from my momentary relapse. I hated crying, it made me feel so weak. I wondered over to the dusty, velvet curtains with a sigh, I needed to distract myself. However the sight that met me eyes was totally unexpected, I gasped in awe as I pulled the curtains back. The view was simply breathtaking! It made me wonder how Malfoy was ever mad when he had this to grace his eyes. His manor looked right out over the British countryside in all it's glory, emerald green stretched as far as the eye could see until it met the pale blue of the sky; trees dotted the landscape as they raced each other do be the closest to the sunlight and deer rested beneath them to relieve themselves from the heat. How could this house be so cold whilst outside the sun was beaming? I yearned to go outside but my previous attempts had been futile.

The only thing that awoke my from my trance like state was a small pop from behind me. I turned around with a start.

"Who on earth are you?" I asked indignantly as I rounded on the intruder.

"Well I'm your house elf of course miss." The little thing replied as it twisted its pillowcase of a dress in its hands.

"Well you're disturbing me, you may leave," I said icily as I stomped around the room, Draco had clearly sent the thing here to spy on me, "And tell your master to let me go." I added for good measure.

"But the miss needs to have her quarters explained to her." The thing said as it followed me around the room.

"I need no such thing!" I shouted at the creature, "I'm not a simpleton."

"But does the miss know where the bathroom is?" It asked me innocently.

I stopped in my tracks only for the elf to bump into the back of my calves, "Where is the bathroom?"

"The elf clicked its fingers and a door appeared to the right of my bed, "Just through there miss."

I paused, "thanks."

The elf beamed up at me with her huge blue eyes, "Does the miss need Minty for anything else before I leave?"

"No, you may go." And with a small pop my house elf was gone, "Minty," I murmured to myself, "I like that name."

Of course the bathroom was just as spectacular as everything else here and almost as big as the bedroom itself. A swimming pool like bath sunk into the floor was the centre piece of the room with many different taps around the edges of it and steps leading into it on the left hand side. I could see row upon row of different bubble baths and soaps on a shelf over to the side of the pool, more than any one person could use in their entire life, and even the toilet looked like it was worth more than The Burrow or any of the safe houses I'd stayed in before. This made me resent the Malfoys that little bit more.

I dawdled around the room taking in the clean, almost hospital like smell of the place when I spotted the huge mirror in the corner, curiosity got to me more than vanity did as I wondered over to drink in my appearance, I don't know how long I'd slept or what had happened to me so I figured looking into the mirror may give me a few clues. Some what nervously I peered to the into the pool of silver, however the site that met my eyes I was not at all expecting at all. Not only had they taken me, they taken my identity as well.

"I'm blonde!" I sobbed to no one in particular. It was hideous! My pale skin was usually off set with my vibrant hair but now I just looked pale and sickly, it made my freckles look like disgusting spots instead of the cute dots of childhood as my mother used to call them. I was a Weasley, for Merlins sake, and yet these bastards had taken away the most Weasley thing about me.

With another wave of tears and exhaustion I swiftly exited the bathroom with a slam of the door and jumped onto the freshly made bed, I hardly took into account the fact the room was once again in perfect condition as tears gushed from my eyes and dampened the pillows beneath me. I simply crawled under the covers and laid there. I cried and cried and cried, I cried for my family, I cried for Ron and I even cried for myself. But I didn't cry for Harry, I wouldn't miss his cold touch.

**OoOoO**

I have no idea how long I had gone without human interaction. I had no watch or clock and the days and nights seemed to merge into one another. I only saw Minty and that was only when I either summoned her or she was bringing me food. I had so much pent up energy from being kept in a small space and I just did not know what to do with myself, I usually just read. I wasn't allowed to the library but Minty used to bring me all sorts of literary wonders.

The only thing that kept me from going insane was the unchanging view from the window. I could now tell each of the family of deer apart and they all had names; there were two rather playful fawns which I had named Fred and George, their mums were called Molly and Minerva, and the magnificent stag was named Ronald. Seeing them interact and play with one another reminded me of my own family which opened up this pain inside of me that I simply could not control no matter how hard I tried.

I must have gone off into my own little world because just then a knock at the door made me jump so much that I even fell off of the little window seat I had managed to persuade Minty to install. In that moment I didn't care if it was Malfoy, Snape or even Harry, I just needed human interaction to stop me from going completely insane.

"Come in." I shouted, and so they did.

"Hi Blondie."

"Oh, its you." I sighed. Zabini.

"Why yes it is." He smiled arrogantly. I think I may hate him more than I hate cancelled quidditch practise.

"What do you want?" I ask as I pick up a book and began to aimlessly flick through the pages.

"What do I want? You to stop being so vindictive. But I'm guessing that wont happen."

"No It won't." I muttered.

"It will in the end." He told me in a sarcastic sing song voice. A smile played on his lips for a brief moment before he quickly covered it up once more with his cold, hard exterior.

"You know, I think you're like a truffle, Zabini." I informed him casually as I prepare a speech I knew would get on his nerves. I place my book down and slowly wander up to him.

Zabini seemed slightly shocked but it didn't take him long to get over it, "Oh really, and why would that be?"

"You're so cold and hard on the outside," I tell him as I wander even closer, "but on the inside you're nothing more than a feelings driven wimp."

"Well if that's the case," he retorts, "you must be a bit of jelly."

I have to admit that wasn't the reaction I was after but I grace it with a raised eyebrow and a reply any how, "oh?"

"You're weak to start with but add a bit of heat and you melt away." He smirks as he runs his fingers through my hair, they snag on a tangle and I jump back, he knows that got to me.

"Well have you got a reason to be here?" I snapped, "I take it you're not trying to make nice conversation." I walk away from him as quickly as possible, I was foolish to ever get so close to poison.

"Yes actually I do, Blondie." Zabini tells me as he sits down on my window seat. I hate him for invading that personal place.

"Don't you dare call me that." I say through gritted teeth.

"But it's the colour of your hair is it not?"

"Just shut it Zabini." I snap. Must. Hold. Back. Tears. I cannot, I simply will not, cry in front of him. Even if it is angry tears. His face simply lights up as he knows I've taken the bait, his too perfect to be human eyes burn into mine as his hair once again tumbles down onto his face.

"What is the name of your house elf?" He asks me seriously without breaking eye contact. His abrupt change of subject throws me.

"What so you can trick it into bringing me worms to eat or something?" I spit at him.

"No, I just need to know which house elf is yours, I know you have been assigned one so don't even bother lying." He remains calm and serious, nothing like how he was acting just minutes before.

"Well I'm not telling." I sound like a stubborn child but it's not my fault this is what my strange situation has driven me to.

"I am telling you Ginny, it's in your best interest that I know."

"I tell him with a sigh, "Minty."

"Oh yes I know the one." Zabini informs me. It's strange hearing the words leave his mouth. Why would he ever care about a lowly house elf? Something strange flashes through his features when he finds out the name though, something I can't quite place but it reminds me a bit of relief, "She's come over from my mother's manor actually so she's much better quality than any of the quivering wrecks the Malfoys own."

I immediately think of a way to play the situation to my advantage, "I've answered one of your questions, so now you have to answer one of mine."

"You're forgetting who's in a position of power here now aren't you missy?" He leans forward and squints his eyes as if I'm intriguing him.

"Neither of us if I'm honest." I tell him with a sly smile.

He chuckles darkly, "You're cleverer than you look, Weasley. Fire away."

"Why am I here?" I ask, fear dances through my eyes, do I really want to know the answer?

"Well you're Draco's toy of course, I'm sure he will find the time to play with you soon." His eyes burn into me as he answers solemnly.

"W-what?" I stutter. I fill with fear as his words register in my mind. Terrified butterflies bat around in my stomach and even they try to escape. I suddenly feel very sick and look around for somewhere to sit, why is the bed so far away?

Before I know it Zabini is beside me holding me up. His eyebrows knit together and his eyes dance like fire as he grits his teeth, "are you okay?" He asks with genuine concern.

"I'm fine thank you." I tell him as he walks me towards the bed, I take a seat less than gracefully. Everything I seem to do in comparison to him is less than graceful.

Muffled voices and echoing footsteps sound across the hall, Zabini's eyes date around nervously. I liked his eyes, they were the only part of him which betrayed his real emotions, "I need to go but before I do you need to promise me one thing-"

"What is it?" I ask him.

"What ever you do do not tell Malfoy I was here." His face is pleading, I nod my head to let him know I won't and then he exits silently. I quickly jump up to try the door but of course it's still locked for me.

As I lay in bed that night thoughts flood my head as to what his meeting could have meant. Why couldn't Malfoy know and why would Zabini go against his wishes just to find out the name of my elf? My head begins to throb with all of the thoughts of the day and then it landed on the last part... What does being Malfoy's 'toy' even mean? My heart drops so much at the thought of it I think it may have even touched hell.


End file.
